Query about medical studies II

Posted in our Facebook page:

I’m Wan from Malaysia. I found your facebook page and I hope you could advice me on an important decision that I have to make. I just graduated with A Level in Singapore and I am considering Russia to pursue medicine. I am uncertain of this decision of mine and in a serious dilemma. I am aware of some negativity towards studying in medicine in Russia but at the same time I am doubtful about the reliablity of such info as well. Hopefully, you could assist me in this matter. Thank you and I really appreciate your time and honest and sincere reply.

Regards
Wan

Hi
I think there are certain things you have to consider
1) Recognition – it is highly recommended that the Russian medical school is one that is recognised by the MMC (see out Schools page for more info)
2) Consider that you have to learn a new language – which you will need to communicate with patients.
3) Ultimately it matters not which medical school you graduate from. It’s the individual that matters. As per the old computer adage – garbage in, garbage out. If you have what it takes to be a doctor – the genuine interest, reasonable memory and intelligence (you don’t need to be rocket scientist material), hard working then you will probably make it no matter what medical school you go to. Let me reproduce something from a text chat I had with Dr. Punna Wong and was posted in Dobbs (the Malaysian Doctors forum):

A Tale of 2 Beijing University Graduates

A few years ago I was sent two top students from Beijing University – Malaysians who studied there and graduated with distinctions in everything under the sun.
I was initially reluctant to take them for training but relented when they appealed.
They were to sit for their unrecognised University examination. Both were chinese girls from chinese schools up till Senior middle 3.
I was quite shocked when they came – despite all their grades they knew literally next to nothing.
One reason was the language; they literally were from another world.
They simply COULD NOT understand Malaysian medicine.
The second was the fact that they had VERY little clinical experience.
It was all theory
Never examined a newborn before – which chinese mum in Beijing would allow a medical student to handle their precious ONE and only baby!
NOT even a single delivery
The list goes on….
The lesson I learnt – DON’T BELIEVE UNIVERSITY rankings – it’s all a numbers game
I told them they would fail the exam.
They simply could not do it.
It’s like you and me sitting for MRCP in russian.
And so they sat and failed.
But by sheer hard work, determination and slogging, they made it later on.
And again through sheer hard work they passed their Houseofficer training
Now they are MOs and are not too bad

Hope lies in individuals
They had a long course
They underwent difficult times as they came from poor families hence (the choice of) Beijing university
But it is through their individual intelligence, determination and sheer hard work which made them overcome their handicap.

HTH